Diamond's Dog Day
by SPB
Summary: (Takes place between "Applejack's 'Day' Off" and "Spice Up Your Life", originally published on FimFiction.) Diamond Tiara runs away from home, fed up with her mother's behavior. She moves into Carousel Boutique, much to Rarity and Sweetie Belle's surprise, then later is surprised herself when an unlikely pony saves her from diamond dogs.


Diamond Tiara groaned, as she lay in her princess-sized bed, listening to the racket coming from downstairs. Her mother and father were at it again, arguing as they had done almost constantly since the landmark day Diamond had decided to turn over a new leaf.

Tiara angrily pounded her pillow and buried her face into it, then she tried placing the soft object over her head in an attempt to block out the noise. It didn't work.

Glancing at the clock that hung on the opposite side of the room, the pink filly saw that it was almost midnight. She'd gone to bed almost two and a half hours ago, but thanks to her parents raucous arguing, she'd been unable to get any sleep.

Tiara sighed in exasperation, as she threw back the covers of her bed, and jumped down from it. " _Maybe a glass of water will help._ " she thought, and carefully tiphoofed from her bedroom to the bathroom sink.

Once out in the hallway, Diamond could hear the yelling from her parents as clear as day. Her mother in particular always got loud whenever she quarrelled with her father.

"How many times must I repeat myself?! The answer is _no_!" Filthy Rich angrily shouted. "Diamond is just a filly, you're puttin' way too much pressure on her!"

"Nonsense, as a rich pony she needs to start being aware of how to act like one," Spoiled Rich snootily remarked in reply. "Look at what you've let slide, Filthy! Her piano keys are completely off scale, she's slacking off on her ballet lessons, and I'm quite sure she forgot about how to properly position silverware at the dinner table! Do you want our daughter to grow up to become an uncultured swine, like the ones those Apple barbarians keep?!"

"She's still young, there's plenty of time to teach her proper manners! Leave her to enjoy her childhood! And don't you dare insult the ponies whose family made it possible for our family to be rich! Without their financial support, we'd have nothin'!" Filthy protested, though he might as well have been talking to a wall.

"You _would_ say that, considering you always spoil our daughter!" Spoiled snapped back. "You take her out for ice cream or candy whenever she accompanies you on business trips! Rich ponies don't beg, if they want something, they buy it with their _own_ money!"

"What's so wrong with givin' our daughter a treat every now and then?!" Filthy asked, trying his hardest to ignore wife's attitude. "At least she enjoys _our_ time together, which is more than I can say for when she's with you! Don't think I haven't noticed the sad look on her face!"

"She does it because you let her _manipulate_ you!" Spoiled argued, somewhat ironically. "I don't care how much she complains, she _needs_ to start acting like the rich pony she is, whether she likes it or not!"

Filthy sighed, they'd been bickering like this for weeks now. It seemed there was little common ground between the couple. "You know what, _fine_! I'm done discussin' this with you!" he announced at last. "Just keep pushin' our daughter to the breakin' point and see what happens, just don't come cryin' to me when she starts sayin' she hates you! My mother was right, I should've married a nicer mare!" With that final bombshell, Filthy stormed away, turning his back to his wife.

Diamond froze, a cold shiver working its way down the filly's spine. Her father always ended up caving in to her mother's demands, he'd been like that for as long as she could remember. Now he'd left her in the not-so-merciful hooves of Spoiled, who still held quite the grudge against her daughter for her act of defiance by the schoolyard.

Already, Tiara could hear the approaching hoofsteps of her mother, as she marched up the stairs. Diamond knew she had to act fast, because she was _not_ about to be stuck with Spoiled for the day! She'd rather be trapped in the pits of Tartarus with Tirek for company. Then a brilliant idea formed in her head. She'd run away from home!

With her mind firmly made up, Diamond quickly dashed back to her bedroom and pushed open the window. It was too high up for her to safely jump down to the ground, so she grabbed her favorite blanket and rolled it into a makeshift rope. Tying one end to herself, she threw the other end out of the window, and quickly but carefully rapled down. As soon as her hooves touched solid ground, the pink filly undid the knot and tossed the blanket aside, before she took off galloping as fast as her little legs could carry her.

Meanwhile, Spoiled had finally traversed her way upstairs, and pushed open the door to her daughter's bedroom. "Alright, Diamond Tiara," she said, a malicious scowl forming on her face. "Tomorrow you and I are going to..." but the rest of her sentence was cut off, as the mare eyed the scene that lay before her. Her daughter was gone, and the only trace of her existence was her precious tiara, no doubt left behind in her haste to escape.

Still scowling, Spoiled couldn't help but sigh in frustration. " _Why am I_ _ **not**_ _surprised?_ " she unhappily thought to herself. " _Oh well, Diamond can run all she wants. I'll find her, and when I do I'll make sure to punish her for trying to get out of her regular lessons!_ "

* * *

Tiara didn't notice until too late that she'd left her valuable headgear behind, but she knew better than to retrieve it. She didn't even have a precise destination in mind, she only wanted to be as far away from her mother as possible. That meant, she'd have to stay at one of her friend's houses for a while.

" _Let's see, the only friends I've got right now are Silver Spoon, and The Cutie Mark Crusaders,_ " Diamond thought, as she dashed through the streets of Ponyville, while mentally weighing each of her options. " _Silver Spoon's out of the question, her house is sure to be the first place Mother looks for me. Plus, I don't know if her parents are any better than mine, she doesn't talk about them much. Odd how I've never even met them. Apple Bloom's a bit unconventional, but her family is business partners with mine, so they won't want to risk losing their trade just to stick up for an unimportant filly like me. Scootaloo: No clue about her family_ _ **or**_ _where she lives, though I don't think she's an orphan. At least, I hope she isn't, that would be just awful. That leaves Sweetie Belle, her parents are nice, and her home is on the outskirts of Ponyville. Perfect! It will take Mother ages to find me_ _ **there**_ _!_ " With her mind firmly made up at last, the pink filly made a mad dash for Sweetie Belle's house.

However, a problem soon presented itself to Tiara. She'd never been to Sweetie Belle's house before, and despite the silvery light of Luna's moon, the filly found it hard to see where she was going. There was a good chance she could end up getting lost en route to Sweetie's house, and the last thing Diamond wanted was for ponies to see her and think she was homeless. " _I may be running away from home, but I'm not about to give up what little dignity I have left._ " she thought defiantly.

Even so, it occurred to her that it may be wise to find someplace else to stay the night, and ask for directions in the morning when it was lighter. It was then that Diamond's eyes noticed the familiar architecture of Carousel Boutique in the distance, it was particularly easy to spot considering it was a touch more "classy" than most of the other buildings in Ponyville.

" _This is perfect!_ " Diamond thought joyfully to herself, as she trotted up to the front door of Carousel Boutique. " _Sweetie Belle says her sister has a guest bedroom that she often sleeps in when she stays the night! I might actually be able to reside here, at least for a while. Rarity probably won't mind too much, as long as I behave._ " With her mind made up, Diamond frantically knocked on the door. A noticeable shiver warned the pink coated filly that she couldn't stay out for much longer, unless she wanted to become an ice cube.

* * *

Contrary to what most ponies thought, Rarity wasn't a heavy sleeper. So it was of little surprise to the up-and-coming fashionista, when she was roused from her slumber by the consistent sound of tapping at her front door.

"Odd," Rarity mumbled to herself, as she daintily removed her sleeping mask and slipped into her silk pajamas. "Who could possibly be out and about at this time of night?" Carefully, Rarity trotted down the stairs and to the front door which she opened with a slight glow from her horn. She nearly gasped in surprise at what awaited her on the other side.

There stood Diamond Tiara, stripped of her usual namesake head piece and shaking from the cold. "H-hello, M-Miss. R-Rarity." she greeted the unicorn through much chattering of teeth.

Not one to ignore a filly in need, Rarity quickly reached out a hoof and pulled the freezing pink filly inside. She then slammed the door and turned on the light to get a better view of her visitor. "Goodness, Diamond Tiara, what a surprise to see you here at such a late hour," Rarity said warmly. "You should be safely tucked up in bed, not wandering the streets for Celestia knows how long."

"I know, and I don't care. I'm never going back _there_ again." Diamond replied firmly, with crossed hooves

"Oh, and whyever not, darling?" Rarity asked innocently.

"It's a long and boring story, you don't want to hear it, believe me. All you need to know is, I'm not going back home, at least while Mother's still around,," Tiara huffed. "I'll bet she doesn't even care that I've run away, other than the fact I've skipped all of my 'duties'."

"Nonsense, any mother should be worried sick at the thought of their child running away, especially on a cold night like tonight," Rarity replied, as she kindly ushered a still shivering Diamond into the kitchen. "I'm sure your mother's already out looking for you, no doubt worrying herself to bits."

"If you knew what my mother was actually like, you'd change your tune really fast." Diamond said with a shake of the head.

"Well, we can focus on that later. For now, I think we'd better get you warmed up, darling." Rarity told Tiara in a friendly tone. "Tell me, how do you feel about hot chocolate? I'm more of a tea mare myself, but I've found that there's nothing that couldn't be solved with a little bit of hot chocolate.."

"Hot chocolate's fine, I guess." Diamond shrugged, at least the drink would help take her mind off her troubles.

"Then why don't I fix you a mug?" Rarity offered, about to trot to the kitchen.

"Really? You'd do that for me?!" Tiara asked, as if surprised anypony would ever do something like that solely because they wanted to. Although, the fact she was talking to the Element Of Generosity should have quelled her shock.

"Absolutely, darling," Rarity nodded. "Do you want any marshmallows?"

"You have those, too? Well, okay… just one would be nice. Thank you." Tiara replied, feeling better with every passing second.

"Very well then, one it shall be." Rarity smiled, and set to work on preparing the beverage. She hummed a little tune to herself, as she grabbed all of the necessary ingredients with her magic.

In a matter of minutes, the drink was prepared, and Rarity offered it to the filly in desperate need of warming up. Tiara eagerly gulped it down, surprised at how good it tasted. " _Where you have been all my life, oh wonderful liquid creation?!_ " the filly thought, as she emptied the mug at lightning speed. "Thank you for the drink, Miss Rarity." Tiara expressed her appreciation sincerely, after she'd sucked down the last drop of the hot chocolate.

"There's no need for such formalities around me, Diamond," Rarity replied, as she picked up the empty cup with her magic. "Rarity will do just fine," After the mug had been thoroughly washed and dried, the mare turned to the troubled filly and added. "Now then, it's quite late and a growing filly like you needs her beauty sleep. You're more than welcome to sleep in the guest room, but if you'd rather sleep with me tonight that's quite alright."

"I'm a big filly, I don't need to sleep with somepony else!" Tiara insisted, before she realized she'd maybe reacted a bit too harshly to the unicorn's kind suggestion. "I mean… the guest bedroom is just fine, thank you."

"Very well then, darling. But if you change your mind, I'll be just down the hallway," Rarity smiled at the pink filly's politeness. "If you require something else, please don't hesitate to ask me. You are my guest, and I want to make sure to accommodate you to the best of my ability."

Rarity led Diamond up the many steps (the filly lost track somewhere around twenty five), and down a long hallway to the guest bedroom. It was a fairly simple room (yet still probably a lavish affair compared to other sleeping quarters in town) with a small toy chest, a few wooden stools, and a twin sized bed that could probably fit three of Diamond's classmates (four maybe, if you included Pipsqueak). Near the headboard of the bed was a large window with dark purple curtains. The bed's sheets were a foamy sea green in color, with swirls that were clearly supposed to match the style of Sweetie Belle's mane and tail. The pillows also had blue hearts stitched onto them. Overall, it was quite an ornate set-up for what was essentially a spare room

"Would you like me to tuck you in with my magic?" Rarity offered to Diamond. "It would save time, and I won't have to worry about fixing the covers."

Tiara wanted to object to being treated like that, but she felt very sleepy and was too tired to come up with a good argument against it. "Sure, I guess." she said with a yawn, that hot chocolate had worked like a charm.

With a smile, Rarity lit up her horn, enveloping Diamond Tiara in its soft blue glow. Slowly, the unicorn levitated the filly into the air whilst carefully pulling back the sheets. Gently, the older mare deposited the filly onto the bed, and pulled the sheets up to her neck. "Goodnight, Diamond. Sweet dreams." Rarity called softly, as she turned off the bedroom light, before softly closing the door.

Tiara thought it would be difficult to fall asleep in a bed that wasn't her own, but that wasn't the case at all. She was so tired from her parents arguing at night and running across town to the boutique, that she fell asleep almost immediately.

Rarity smiled, her ears picking up the sound of her young charge snoring away. The grin didn't fade either, as she made her way back to her own bedroom, removed her silk pajamas, and put her sleeping mask back on. Like Diamond Tiara, she too dropped off almost at once, although not before making sure the door to her bedroom was left ajar (just in case of any late night emergencies).

* * *

Diamond couldn't remember the last time she'd slept so well, but for the first time in ages she woke up the next morning feeling refreshed and ready to face the day. In fact, she probably would've slept right through noon, had Rarity not come in to wake her up.

"Good morning, darling," Rarity greeted the filly with a friendly smile. "I trust you are well rested after last night, regardless of how late you were up?"

"Of course, I slept like a baby." Tiara replied, as her eyes struggled to adjust to the bright rays of Celestia's sun, shining through the bedroom window.

"Glad to hear it. Now then, feel free to freshen up if you wish. I will start breakfast shortly." Rarity said in a motherly tone.

"What's for breakfast?" Tiara asked Rarity, curious at what the unicorn's early meal was.

"Nothing special, I was simply going to make toast and eggs. That is, unless you'd like cereal instead?" Rarity offered, unsure of what to prepare. "I believe I have some of Sweetie Belle's favorite brands stored in the kitchen cupboards, so you're more than welcome to browse through them if you like."

Diamond appeared to briefly consider that option, before she shook her head. "No thank you, toast and eggs will be fine." Pushing back the sheets, the pink filly instinctively searched the nearby nightstand for her tiara, before she remembered where it was. " _Mother has it, there's no doubt about that,_ " she thought, grimly. " _If it wasn't so expensive, she'd probably have melted it down by now out of petty revenge._ " With a long sigh, she departed the bedroom, and strolled down the hall to the nearby bathroom.

Tiara had just finished showering, and was in the midst of drying herself off with a towel, when Rarity knocked and called from the other side of the door. "Breakfast is ready, please come down to eat while it's still warm."

Carefully drying herself off to the best of her ability (it was hard doing so without the willing assistance of her trusty butler, Randolph), Tiara exited the bathroom and made her way downstairs to the kitchen. Breakfast promised to be a hopefully uneventful experience for the filly, as she wouldn't have to tolerate her mother 'pretending' to notice her, or her father being so caught up in the latest business report he put salt instead of sugar into his coffee.

But Tiara turned out to be wrong, for not long after she had started to consume the sticky eggs, the doorbell rang.

Rarity immediately rose from her seat at the table to answer the sound, not seeming to have noticed the look of dread that had formed on her young houseguest's face. She cheerfully trotted to the door wearing a wide grin, as if she knew who was outside.

Despite it being almost midday, and even a bit warm inside the boutique, Diamond started to quiver uncontrollably. " _Mother's probably sent Randolph to track me down and drag me back,_ " she thought nervously. " _Or worse, she's come take care of the situation herself!_ " Yet, in spite of that dreaded outcome, the pink filly found that she was paralysed where she sat at the kitchen table. It seemed that every nerve in her body had frozen, unable or unwilling to obey her commands.

Nonchalantly enough, Rarity opened the front door of her boutique. Immediately, the smile on her face grew even broader. There, large as life, stood her beloved younger sister, Sweetie Belle.

"Hi, Rarity," Sweetie Belle greeted her sibling cheerfully. "Mom and Dad had a few errands to run, so I thought I'd stop by and hang out with you for a while."

"What about your Crusader friends? Are they busy today?" Rarity inquired of her sister. As much as she adored having the younger unicorn around, she was much more used to seeing the filly hanging out with her best friends, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom.

"Apple Bloom has a ton of chores to do, and Scootaloo's parents are taking her to see a Wonderbolts show in Fillydelphia," Sweetie Belle replied, a little downcast. "She _was_ going to invite me along, but the performance has been sold out for weeks, and that kind of stinks. She only picked up tickets for her and her family, because she's Rainbow Dash's honorary sister."

"Oh, I see. Well then, I suppose you can spend some time here," Rarity agreed to let her in. "Just remember to stay out of my workshop, okay? I have some very important orders to-"

"-Don't worry sis, I'll remember!" Sweetie Belle said eagerly, cutting off her sister. And she dashed inside at a speed that would've made Rainbow Dash jealous.

* * *

The first thing Sweetie Belle did once inside Carousel Boutique, was make a headlong rush to the kitchen. Sure, she'd already had breakfast with her family, but her parents' cooking wasn't up to standard. She needed some _real_ food!

Upon entering the kitchen however, Sweetie Belle was quite perplexed to see none other than her relatively new friend Diamond Tiara sitting in the same chair Sweetie Belle usually occupied. "What are you doing here, Diamond Tiara? Shouldn't you be at home?" she innocently asked her new friend.

Seeing as how the pink filly had a mouth full of eggs, Rarity decided to answer in her place. "Miss Tiara has been staying for the night, the poor dear clearly needed a place to rest while her mother and father are sorting out their little disagreement, However, I have no doubt that her parents are looking for her as we speak. And so, I was just about to send her on her way."

Diamond quickly swallowed her mouthful to protest the idea. "What?! No, no, no! You _can't_ send me away, I'm never going back home again!"

"Is it because of your Mom?" Sweetie Belle wanted to know, to which Diamond quickly nodded in response. "But haven't you told your Dad about her behavior?"

"Father doesn't care, he doesn't have the guts to stand up for me, or himself for that matter!" Tiara complained to both ponies listening. "He just lets Mother rant on, and lets her do as she pleases, I don't know _what_ he ever saw in her!"

"Darling, I'm sure you're just overreacting," Rarity replied gently. "I know my family had it's fair share of disagreements over the years while I was growing up, and there were certainly times when I felt like leaving it all behind. But running away from your problems won't solve anything."

"I don't care, I absolutely _refuse_ to go home as long as Mother's around!" Tiara continued to be stubborn. "I'm tired of trying to live up to her impossible expectations, I've changed and if she can't accept that fact, it's her problem!"

"Rarity, you really don't understand what Diamond Tiara's mother is like," Sweetie Belle backed up her new friend. "Trust me, she's not very nice. In fact, you could almost say she's a… well I don't even think I'm supposed to say it."

"Even if that _is_ the case, there's little I can do about it." Rarity said with great reluctance, her ear drooping in defeat.

"Please, you have to let her stay! At least for now!" Sweetie Belle pleaded with her sister.

"I'll do anything you ask of me, _anything_!" Diamond chimed in. "I'll get a job and pay rent, do the dishes, make my own bed, you name it!"

"There's really no need for such pleading, I'm not going to accede to those demands," Rarity sighed. "If you really want to stay _that_ badly, I suppose I can let you, for now."

"Oh thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!" Tiara squealed with unrestrained joy, hugging Rarity's midriff tightly. "You won't regret this, I'll be the best houseguest ever! I'd swear on my tiara... if I still had it of course."

"I don't doubt that," Rarity remarked sardonically. "But I do have _one_ condition that I'm going to need you to respect."

"Whatever it is, I'll do it! Anything's better than putting up with Mother's behavior!" Diamond insisted.

"Unless I say otherwise, please stay out of my workshop. I don't like being disturbed when I'm 'In The Zone'," Rarity attempted to explained. "If you need something, and I'm in my workshop, just knock on the door and I'll try to answer as fast I can."

"What do you mean by 'In The Zone'?" Tiara asked, scratching the back of her head.

"You're better off not knowing, Rarity is really spaced out when she gets 'In The Zone'," Sweetie Belle whispered in the pink filly's ear. "I often hear her singing or talking to herself. Sometimes for hours on end."

"Oh." Tiara said, and quickly clammed up despite not getting an answer from Rarity. Grown ups could be pretty weird sometimes (as Apple Bloom would often attest).

Rarity chuckled at the two fillies' apprehension. "It's quite alright, I'm not ashamed to admit I can sometimes get a little swept up in my work. But it's who I am. Don't worry, I won't try to use you as a fashion model, unless that's what you want."

"No thanks, I don't mind wearing dresses, but I _hate_ being on the catwalk. Mother has made me dress up for her own benefit far too many times." Diamond vented, while rolling her eyes.

"Then I trust you'll have no problems staying out of my workshop today?" Rarity made sure of the situation.

The pink filly nodded in compliance. "You can be sure of that."

"Very well then, why don't you and Sweetie Belle play together for a little while, while I work on some dress orders for some high end clientele?" Rarity suggested.

"Sounds great, just as long as there's still time for you and I to play together later on." Sweetie Belle said, and she tried to convince Rarity with pleading eyes.

"Don't worry, Sweetie Belle. Once I've completed the orders and we've had lunch, I should be able to play with you for a bit." Rarity promised her little sister. "Just make sure to stay inside the boutique for now."

With that parting request, the fashionista trotted upstairs to her workshop. But her mind wasn't focused on dresses, like it normally was when it was time for her to get "In The Zone". Her thoughts were occupied with her unexpected guest, and the predicament she was in. " _I'll have to speak with Twilight and Mayor Mare about whether it might be possible to conduct an investigation of Tiara's mansion,_ " she reluctantly thought. " _I hope she's over-exaggerating the details, and her home life isn't_ _ **quite**_ _as bad as she's described. If it is, I don't know what I'm going to do. Am I truly ready to take care of a filly as a full time responsibility? I mean, I have wanted foals of my own, someday, but this is surely too much too soon..._ "

* * *

"You know something, Sweetie Belle?" Diamond asked, now that she and Sweetie Belle were alone. "You're lucky to have such an amazing big sister. Maybe if I had one like her, my home life wouldn't stink so much."

"Oh, Rarity's a _great_ big sister, there's no denying that. But sometimes she can be a real pain," Sweetie Belle replied, admitting that everything wasn't always perfect. "She usually means well, but there have been times where I feel like she doesn't truly understand me. Fortunately, that's been happening less and less often as we've grown older, especially since Mom and Dad always seem to be busy with something."

"At least your parents actually love and care for you, even if they have a strange way of showing it," Tiara lamented, while looking down at the floor. "I don't know what my Mother shows me, but I certainly wouldn't call it love. As for my Father, he tends to just agrees with whatever Mother says."

"So you haven't told him about the awful things she does to you?!" Sweetie Belle realized, to which Diamond reluctantly nodded. "Well, if you ever go home again, you've got to let him know! Maybe if he knew what your Mom has been up to for all of these years, he'd change his tune."

"I guess I can't get away with not telling him forever, but if what he doesn't believe me?" Diamond pondered on the worst case scenario.

"Well, that would stink, but at _least_ then you can't say you didn't try," Sweetie attempted to be optimistic. "And no matter what, you've got me and our fellow Cutie Mark Crusaders to support you. Now come on, there's no need to be so down in the dumps! We're going to have so much fun together!"

"If you say so," Tiara didn't sound too convinced. "So, what should we do first?"

"Why don't we play dress up?" Sweetie suggested almost instantly. "It's a shame you don't have your tiara with you, but maybe we can find a temporary replacement in my bedroom closet?"

"You have a tiara?" Diamond asked, somewhat surprised.

"Not a real one, but I think there might be an imitation that was part of one of my old Nightmare Night costumes," Sweetie recalled, as she led Diamond upstairs and into the guest bedroom. "Rarity likes to keep them stored here instead of at home, because Mom and Dad would probably throw them out to save closet space."

"But why? Your parents don't seem like the kind of ponies that can buy dresses all the time." Diamond pointed out.

"They don't, but Rarity often makes new dresses for me or our parents whenever it's necessary. It happens surprisingly often you know, Mom has a tendency to accidentally rip her dresses a lot, and Dad's just not as skilled with a sewing needle as he is with a hoofball or a fishing rod." Sweetie explained in detail.

"Doesn't your Dad work as a hoofball coach?" Tiara remembered, as Sweetie searched through the giant closet at the back of the guest bedroom.

"I think he used to, but not anymore," Sweetie responded, with her back turned. "Nowadays he just works at an office somewhere. Mom stays at home, but she frequently collects travel brochures to help her plan vacations. Often, if Dad's not at work, he'll be down by the pond near our house. I tried fishing with him once."

"Ugh, sounds boring. I tried it once with Father, and we couldn't catch anything. How did it go for you?" the pink filly inquired of her friend.

Sweetie turned around for a moment and shuddered slightly. "Not very good, I couldn't catch anything by myself, and when Dad finally helped me reel something in, I couldn't even bring myself to look at it. Since then, I've never gone fishing with him. We just play hoofball in the yard if he has time."

"Maybe my dad could learn a few pointers from your dad?" Diamond suggested, giggling a bit. "I swear, it's like Father has three left hooves or something. He _always_ fumbles the ball when we play.."

"I'll have to talk to my father and see what he thinks. If your dad's really as clumsy as you say he is, it's probably just because he never played hoofball before in his life. My dad always says the best teacher is experience," Sweetie stated solemnly, before going back to searching through the closet. She began to toss aside various outfits and costumes, including the dress she'd worn for the last Nightmare Night, and many previous Nightmare Nights. At last she shouted triumphantly "Aha, there it is!", and pulled out a hoof-stitched Princess Celestia costume, complete with a small crown that could almost be mistaken for the real one worn by Celestia herself.

"Wow, I never knew Rarity was _this_ good at making dresses!" Tiara exclaimed, as she eagerly snatched up the costume.

"Yeah, I'm actually a bit bummed I don't have the same knack for it that she does," Sweetie Belle said, frowning slightly. Her scowl was quickly replaced with a smile as she continued. "But that's okay, at least Rarity says my sewing skills are improving a little. And besides, it's not the _only_ thing I enjoy doing. I'm really starting to like singing, especially since Rarity manages The Ponytones now."

"I'd say singing truly runs in your family, you and your sister harmonize pretty well," Diamond acknowledged her friends' talents. "If you really wanted to, you could probably make the school choir. It would be nice to have somepony besides Silver Spoon to talk to once in awhile."

"Maybe someday I'll give that a try, but for now I'm just content to sing whenever I feel like it and without pressure." Sweetie beamed, before quickly grabbing the first discarded costume her eyes settled upon. It was her costume from Nightmare Night last year, and it seemed none the worse for wear, despite having been stored in a closet for the past few months.

"But we're not going to sing today, we're going to play pretend! You're going to be Princess Celestia, and I'm going to be a stuffy noble!" Sweetie quickly put on her outfit, and gave her voice a posh tremor as she adopted a haughty tone in her speech "Oh my, I can't believe I'm being called to meet with the princess of Equestria. She must want to build a monument in _my_ honor."

Slipping on the Princess Celestia costume (which was harder than it looked) Tiara tried her best to adjust her voice according to how _she_ thought a princess would sound (She'd never actually met Princess Celestia before, despite the numerous occasions where the monarch had visited Ponyville, and she only remembered Princess Luna from Nightmare Night and that one shared dream she'd created. As for Princess Twilight, she never truly acted like the royalty she was, which Tiara always found rather odd). "Ah yes, Miss Maria. It is true I summoned you here today, but _not_ for the reason you might think."

"And what, pray tell then, _is_ the reason for me being here today?" Maria asked in a snobbish tone. "If it isn't to discuss the creation of a tribute to my glorious legacy, then it is a complete waste of my time."

Drawing inspiration from an old story Miss. Cheerilee had told one day in school, Tiara (as Princess Celestia) said in response. "Maria, it is my understanding that you have not lifted a hoof to help your fellow Equestrians, even as they are starving and cannot afford to buy food. You have said, and I quote 'Let them eat oatcake.', yet not once have you proffered such a treat to anyone but yourself."

"Oh why do _you_ care? You probably just want the cake all to yourself." Maria complained, with narrowed eyes. "It is no concern of mine if the lowlifes can't find enough steady work that will put food on their tables. You're the ruler of Equestria, it should be _your_ responsibility to help them."

"I have made many such efforts to aid the populace," Princess Celestia enlightened her pompous companion. "I have opened up the castle doors to many a stranger who have shown up at the gates, begging for bread. I have invited millions of starving citizens from all over Equestria to come dine with me in the banquet hall. Finally, I have spared no expense to establish programs to help the unemployed find good paying jobs that properly utilize their special talents. However, you have done nothing but foolishly squander your own bits on lavish trinkets!"

"Since when was it a crime for an upper crust to spoil oneself?!" Maria sniffed with an upturned muzzle. "A true lady like me deserves only the best."

"Maria, I warn you. Should you continue down this destructive path, you may soon find yourself a victim of the poor folks' desperation," Princess Celestia cautioned the snob before her in earnest. "Already, there is unrest among the ranks, and I suspect that it will not be long before a spark ignites into full blown revolution. If you do not change your ways quickly, you may lose everything that you care about."

"All stuff and nonsense! I've wasted enough time talking to you, 'Princess Of Paupers'," Maria said, angry at the very notion. "Your attempt to scare me has failed. This unrest will blow over like a mild storm, and when it does you will see how foolish it was for you to overreact the way you have. I bid you farewell." With that final curt remark, Maria turned and trotted away.

"Well, that was kinda fun," Tiara chuckled, as she and Sweetie slipped out of their fancy dress. "What shall we do next?"

"How about a game of hide and seek? I know some really great hiding places!" Sweetie Belle boasted.

* * *

Rarity smiled and sighed with relief, as she finally allowed herself to set down her needle and spool of fabric for a well deserved break. She then carefully removed her ruby red glasses, and set them on the desk next to her trusty tape measurer and sewing machine. "That should be the last of them," she told herself. "I'll send these dresses to Sassy and Coco first thing tomorrow." Her thoughts turned to Sweetie Belle and Diamond Tiara. " _I wonder how well they're getting along?_ " she unicorn thought, as she made her way downstairs.

"Forty Nine… Fifty. Ready or not, here I come!" Sweetie Belle called, removing her hooves from her eyes.

"Sweetie Belle, _whatever_ are you are doing? Also, where's Diamond Tiara?" Rarity inquired, while looking around.

"What's it look like? We're playing hide and seek, and I'm the seeker!" Sweetie Belle announced with enthusiasm. "If you've seen Diamond Tiara anywhere, don't tell me please, I want to find her fair and square!" She then trotted into the kitchen, and a few seconds later called out triumphantly. "Aha, found you!"

Diamond Tiara had been hiding (or rather trying to) inside one of the kitchen cupboards. Unfortunately, the shelf she'd selected was filled with pots and pans, and was never intended for the extra space a filly took up. "You can tell I'm new at this game, can't you? I did think about going under the guest bed, but I figured that would be the first place you'd check." the pink filly sighed, as she slowly emerged from her pretty obvious hiding place.

"Perhaps that would've been a better idea than this," Rarity said, a small frown apparent on her face. "Just look at the mess you've made." Various cooking implements lay scattered on the floor just outside the cupboard, put there by Tiara's ultimately unsuccessful attempt to fit inside.

"I'm sorry, Rarity," Diamond apologized profusely. "I didn't mean to cause any trouble for you, especially after you were nice enough to let me stay."

"We cleaned up before we resumed our game, it took quite a while." Sweetie added, trying her best not to look too guilty.

"It's quite alright, darlings. Nopony got hurt, that's the main thing. But next time, please try to leave things as they are when playing," Rarity said kindly but in a serious tone, as she used her magic to put everything back in it's proper order. "Now then, why don't I take you both out for lunch? I know this chic little restaurant not too far from here, with a great menu for foals."

"What's it called?" Tiara asked, wondering if she'd heard of it.

"Can't tell you, it's a surprise," Rarity winked cryptically. "But I think you'll both like it."

"Rarity knows all the best restaurants in Ponyville, and even in Canterlot and Manehattan. In fact, she's often invited to them herself!" Sweetie bragged, causing her big sister to blush a bit. "Whaddya say, Diamond Tiara?!"

"I guess I can come along and give the place a try. I usually like to know where I'll be dining beforehoof." Tiara shrugged.

"Understandable I suppose, but sometimes doesn't not knowing make the journey there more fun?" Sweetie asked, talking from her point of view.

"Maybe for you." Tiara disagreed with her friend, but still followed Rarity and Sweetie Belle as they all departed the boutique together.

* * *

Lunch was an experience for all involved. The restaurant Rarity had in mind was a quaint little diner, but the food was _incredible_!

"Thanks for lunch, Rarity. It was so good!" Sweetie thanked her sister, as they headed back home.

"'Good' is an understatement, even with all the posh cafes I've been to, I don't think I've ever had food as amazing as that!" Diamond exclaimed in appreciation.

"I'm glad you both liked it, I was certain you would," Rarity smiled that her hunch had proven to be correct. "Now then why don't we head back and-" Suddenly out of the blue, Rarity gasped! "How could I have forgotten?!" she exclaimed in anguish.

"What is it, Rarity?" Sweetie asked, with concern. She regularly saw her sister freak out over the smallest thing, but this latest turn seemed dramatic even for her.

"A very important client ordered a gem covered dress from me a few days ago, and they'll be coming by to pick it up later this afternoon!" Rarity explained, cursing her situation. "And I've completely run out of gems!"

"So, just go get more. Mother buys new gems all the time." Diamond said, she thought she'd come up with the perfect solution.

"It's not that simple I'm afraid," Rarity told the pink filly. "Even if I placed an order for them now, the gems wouldn't arrive for several 's only _one_ way I can collect the gems I need for the dress on such short notice. I'll have to hunt for them myself and dig them up out of the ground..." The unicorn began quaking at the very thought.

"Why is that a bad thing, might I ask?" Tiara inquired innocently.

"Because, darling, the only gem mine around these parts happens to be in diamond dog territory," Rarity nervously explained, while biting her hooves. "I'll have to drop you two off back home, then go get Spike. I just hope those brutes don't try any tricks this time."

"But we could totally help you mine for gems!" Sweetie protested, while leaping in the air. "Three heads are better than two!"

"Actually dear, it's two heads are better than one. Also, what you suggest is totally out of the question. Mother and Father would throw a fit if they found out I let you mine for gems with me!" Rarity shook her head at the mere thought. "And I'm pretty sure Diamond Tiara's parents wouldn't be very happy, either. I'm sorry, but gem hunting isn't safe for you two fillies as long as those nasty diamond dogs are around."

"But _Rarity_!" Diamond and Sweetie exclaimed in unison.

"No 'buts' darlings, and my decision is final!" Rarity announced, as she led the two fillies back to the boutique. "Just stay here and wait for my return, hopefully I'll be back before not too long. I'll make this up to both of you after I finish the dress later, I promise!" As soon as Diamond and Sweetie were both safely inside, Rarity rushed out the door, but not before slamming and locking it.

"Well, I guess there's nothing else we can do now but wait for her to come back," Sweetie said gloomily, before she turned to Tiara. "So, what should we do next?"

"How about we get those gems for Rarity?" Diamond boldly suggested, while deep in thought.

"You mean you know of a way to order them _and_ have them delivered on the same day?!" Sweetie asked eagerly, wondering if wealthier families knew of a special system she hadn't heard of.

"No, but I know we could totally mine those gems if we worked together!" Tiara encouraged her friend. "Rarity would be so impressed with us!"

"But what about those diamond dogs Rarity was telling us about?" Sweetie asked, striking a hint of caution. "They sounded pretty dangerous."

Diamond made a series of uninterested noises with her mouth as she shrugged off Sweetie's concern. " _Everypony_ knows diamond dogs aren't real, they're just stories made up to frighten gullible little foals into behaving. I've lived in Ponyville for years and traveled all over Equestria on business trips. I haven't seen any diamond dogs."

"But Rarity said-" Sweetie continued to worry.

"If Rarity told you to jump off a cliff, would you do that too?" Tiara interrupted her friend, with a pronounced eye roll.

"That depends… how far is it to the ground?" Sweetie pondered, scratching her chin thoughtfully.

"Whatever, we're going to get those gems!" Tiara sighed, having made her mind up long ago now. "Come on, we'd already be mining them if it weren't for your procrastination!"

Sweetie watched Diamond leave. "I have a bad feeling about this..." she mumbled to herself, as she reluctantly followed her friend out of the boutique.

* * *

It didn't take long for the two fillies to find the field outside of Ponyville, where the multi-colored gems lay buried deep beneath the soil. Sweetie had read in a book once about a spell that could detect things hidden from plain sight, and although it took a great deal of effort she was able to pull off the enchantment.

"Start filling up your saddlebags with gems, and no slacking!" Tiara ordered, as she started to dig in the designated spots with her hooves. Normally, she didn't like getting dirty, but in this case she was more than willing to make an exception

"You think two saddle bags full of gems will be enough for my sister?" Sweetie wondered, as she used her burgeoning magic to search the ground for hidden gems, and mark their locations.

"We can always return and get more if we need to! Now come on, time's a wastin'! Don't you want to surprise Rarity, and show her what we can do as a team?!" Tiara eagerly replied, while hard at work.

"I guess so..." Sweetie said, as she was not quite so into the task at hoof. "Hey, do you get the feeling that we're being watched?"

"What did I say about diamond dogs?" Tiara shook her head in exasperation at the young unicorn's fears. "It's nothing, you're just letting your paranoia get the better of you. Besides, the sooner we fill up the saddlebags, the sooner we can leave."

"Okay, but I still don't know if we're doing the right thing." Sweetie replied. Despite her friend's reassurances, she was still determined to keep an eye out., She began to fill up her saddlebags with some of the gems, a task that was easier said than done given the amount of magic it took to lift them.

Unknown to either of the fillies, they _were_ being watched. From behind the bushes, a trio of diamond dogs quietly watched their unsuspecting prey.

"Ah, today our lucky day! Two foolish young ponies wander off on their own, and come into diamond dog territory," the lead dog fiendishly whispered. "Soon we make them ours, soon we turn them into slaves."

"But what if they whine like pretty pony did?" the biggest dog asked, remembering bad experiences from a certain diva unicorn.

"That why we come prepared," the littlest dog boasted about his resourcefulness. "Another pony foolish enough to leave behind earplugs. We steal earplugs from pony and hide them away, just in case. Now earplugs come in handy."

"Soon, we hunt!" the lead dog barked at his troops. "Young ponies not realize their mistake until too late!"

"Which one we go for first?" the little dog asked of the the lead dog. "I say we steal pink pony first, pink pony not have horn to defend herself."

"But white pony have magic that find gems for us, white pony much more important!" the big dog yelped.

"It not matter which one we grab first, we make sure to snatch both ponies!" the lead dog snarled and his partners in crime. "Two slaves for price of one!"

"Today truly be our lucky day." the big dog and little dog cackled as one, and alongside the lead dog they began to hatch their devious plan.

* * *

Diamond and Sweetie continued to search for and dig up sparkly gems, not knowing that they were in clear and present danger.

"Just a few more gems and we're golden!" Diamond said eagerly, as she deposited more stones into Sweetie's saddlebags.

" _Finally_ , my saddlebags are getting really heavy." Sweetie sighed, as she wiped the sweat from her brow. She was unused to powering up her little horn for so long, and the strain was starting to take it's toll.

"Hang on, Sweetie Belle. One last load and then we can get out of here." Diamond hollered back, as she began to dig in a spot adjacent to the bushes. All of a sudden, a huge dog with fur as black as soot and a diamond necklace, jumped out from behind the bushes! Before Tiara had a chance to realize what was going on, she found herself being snatched up by a pair of rugged paws!

"Got you!" the dog shouted in victory. "Pony come work for diamond dogs now!"

Tiara screamed, and began to flail her hooves about wildly in a useless attempt to break free. "Help me, Sweetie Belle!" she cried at the top of her lungs.

"Diamond Tiara!" Sweetie gasped in return, and immediately dropped her saddlebags to dash to the sound of her friend's distress.

But no sooner had she done so, when two more dogs ambushed her from nowhere! One was a huge, muscular dog with blue fur, and the other was a small, scrawny looking dog with dull yellow fur. The two canines immediately blocked Sweetie's path to her captured friend. "Pony coming with us now!" the big dog commanded.

"Yes, pony and her friend be our slaves! Forever!" the small dog chuckled, as he and the big dog lunged at Sweetie Belle.

Sweetie dove out of the way, as the two dopey dogs collided with each other. "Hold on, Diamond Tiara! I'm coming for you!" she shouted, and prepared to charge at the dog holding her friend hostage.

But the big dog grabbed Sweetie's tail, causing her to trip and fall face first into the dirt. "Pony no escape from diamond dogs!" he proclaimed, vengefully.

Furious, Sweetie reared up her back hooves and kicked the big dog as hard as she could in the chest. She then swung around, and hit the little dog with her front hooves. With them both reeling in pain from the surprise attacks, Sweetie shut her eyes and grunted, as she concentrated all of her power together. Her horn began to light up like the Manehattan skyline at night. Magical sparks starting shooting off everywhere like fireworks, frightening the two dogs half to death and causing them to burrow deep into the ground!

The black dog was most taken aback when he heard a shrill cry of "PUT MY FRIEND DOWN!" followed by a massive wave of what could only be described as sap green colored magic. It hit him square in the midriff, causing him to drop the pink filly he'd been holding.

Without any hesitation, Tiara began to run away from the giant canine and back towards Sweetie. Alas, much to her surprise, the two dogs that had previously tried to nab Sweetie, had partially recovered and were now turning their attention to her. Tiara valiantly tried to fight back, but when the black dog joined the fray alongside them, she was unable to escape capture any longer. They quickly overpowered her, and the black fur dog then snatched her up with an evil leer on his face.

Sweetie raced to her friend's location, but she was already too late. Poor Diamond was dragged down a massive hole, and disappeared into the depths. "DIAMOND TIARA!" Sweetie screamed, to no avail. Forgetting all about the gems they'd dug up, Sweetie ran back into town to find Rarity. "Oh this is bad, this is bad, this is _so_ bad!" she wailed, and wondered if she'd ever see her new friend ever again.

* * *

Rarity nearly fainted in shock when her sister came bursting through the doors of Twilight's castle, panting heavily and looking as if she'd seen a ghost. "Sweetie Belle?! What are you doing here?! You should be at home!"

"Gem hunting… diamond dogs….my fault." Sweetie panted in between deep breaths.

It took quite a while for Sweetie Belle to calm down enough to tell Rarity and the other residents of the castle: Twilight, Spike, and Starlight, what had transpired in the field. Rarity was understandably furious when she heard the full story. "So you disobeyed my direct orders and snuck off to hunt for gems with Diamond Tiara?! Sweetie, I'm _very_ disappointed, you know better than to go off on your own like that! Now look at what's happened."

"I'm really sorry, sis," Sweetie apologized. "I didn't want to do it, but Diamond sweet talked me into it. And now she's a prisoner of those diamond dogs."

"Diamond dogs? What are those?" Starlight asked, being new to the scene.

"Some of the most vile ruffians I've ever encountered! And I guess they didn't learn their lesson after the last time they ponynapped me!" Rarity snorted, memories of her short time with them appearing in her head.

"It's a long story, Rarity still doesn't like to talk about it." Spike whispered to Starlight.

"I see." Starlight replied, and instantly clammed up. Despite her interest in learning more about that particular incident, it was clear she wouldn't be able to get any information out of Rarity.

"Sweetie, we shall discuss your punishment later, and believe me, it will be most severe," Rarity said seriously, as she turned her attention back to her little sister. "For right now though, listen to me _very_ carefully. Go back to Carousel Boutique and this time, when I tell you to stay, _stay_! Do you understand?!"

Sweetie nodded her head. She had no intention of disobeying her older sibling again, especially after what had just happened. "Yes, Rarity."

"You said that last time, let's hope you get the message now! I'd better not have to come back to look for you!" Rarity warned the filly in an even more ominous tone.

"Don't worry, Rarity, I won't move a muscle," Sweetie said, as she finally seemed to appreciate the gravity of the situation. "But what about Diamond Tiara?"

"Leave that to my friends and I," Rarity glanced around her. "I promise, we'll do everything in our power to rescue her."

"But I wanna help too, it's partly my fault she got captured in the first place!" Sweetie insisted, trying to convince everypony of her worthiness to be part of the rescue mission.

"I know you want to help your friend, but trying to be her hero is only going to get you into even more trouble. The best thing you can do for her right now, is to listen to me, and leave the saving to those who know what they're doing." Rarity said bluntly, without any room for doubts..

"Don't worry, Sweetie Belle. The four of us can easily handle the diamond dogs, just like we did before," Twilight added confidently. "Just wait for us back at Carousel Boutique, and I promise everything will work out fine, okay?"

"Okay." Sweetie sighed in defeat, and reluctantly trudged back to her sister's house. As much as she might have wanted to help Diamond Tiara, she knew there wasn't much she could on her own, not if the older ponies wouldn't let her aid them.

Upon arriving back at Carousel Boutique, Sweetie was most surprised to see Randolph, Diamond's butler waiting at the front entrance. "Excuse me, young mare," Randolph greeted after clearing his throat. "Would you happen to know where Miss. Rarity is? She is the owner of this shop, is she not? I was wondering if she could help me locate somepony."

"Yeah, she is. But she's busy saving Diamond Tiara from diamond dogs." Sweetie answered, almost without thinking.

"Diamond dogs?! Good heavens!" Randolph exclaimed. He wasn't expecting so much info about his missing charge in one sentence.

"It's my fault actually, I let her talk me into helping her hunt for gems." Sweetie confessed, feeling rather guilty. Had she said no, she might've prevented this entire ordeal.

"You musn't be too hard on yourself, Mistress Diamond always did have a knack for persuasion, as I've come to learn in no uncertain terms," Randolph replied, recalling the time he'd been sweet-talked into performing acrobatics in front of Cheerilee's class that would have tired a stallion half his years. "But Mistress Spoiled will be not pleased to hear about this, I imagine she'll have more than a few choice words for Miss. Rarity when she finds out."

"But it wasn't Rarity's fault, it was mine." Sweetie insisted, she was determined to do the grown up thing, and take responsibility for her actions.

"Mistress Spoiled will still assign some blame to Miss. Rarity no doubt, she's been looking for just about anypony but herself to blame since Mistress Diamond ran away from home last night. Don't tell her I said that, please. It's bad enough I've been assigned wash-up duty for a month for letting her slip away. Oh, my aching hooves." Randolph bemoaned, and he continued to complain as he limped off into the distance.

" _Oh Celestia, I've really messed things up now!_ " Sweetie realised. " _Now Diamond Tiara's mom is gonna be peeved with Rarity, and I can guess who'll feel the after effects later. Gem hunting with Diamond Tiara after Rarity told us not has to be the worst mistake I've ever made in my life!_ "

* * *

Randolph was right about one thing, when Spoiled Rich learned about what had happened to her daughter, she was furious. "I should've _known_ something like that would happen eventually!" she snorted in anger. "Oh well, it serves that disobedient child right for running away! After everything I've done for her, she has the nerve to decide she's better off without me?! She can stay in that dingy dungeon underground forever for all I care!" But a part of her mind she was desperately trying to ignore was thinking something entirely different. " _But she_ _ **IS**_ _your daughter. How do you think she'd feel knowing that you left her to rot in that dirty prison?_ "

" _Why exactly should I care what she thinks of me?_ " Spoiled counteracted her conscience. " _I've been trying to teach her to act like a rich pony, and how does she repay me? By spitting in the face of everything I've ever taught her, and befriending insignificant lowlifes!_ " Then the more moral part of her mind argued back. " _It's your own fault. Filthy's right, you're putting far too much pressure on her._ "

" _Pressure? Nonsense!_ " Spoiled snorted, as she attempted to clear her brain of the conflicting thoughts. " _What's so wrong about wanting your daughter to be the best at everything?! If I could handle the same stuff at her age, there's no excuse for her being unable to handle my demands! Does she think I became the mare I am today, because I quit when the going got tough?! If she does, she's not worthy of being my daughter!_ "

At first, Spoiled was certain the more righteous part of her mind wasn't going to be able to argue against such compelling reasons. But she was soon proven wrong. " _Don't you think that's a little bit harsh? Since she was born you've done nothing but place the highest of expectations on her, it was only natural she'd snap eventually. Didn't you once consider doing what your daughter has done?_ "

" _What difference does it matter if she did what I didn't do?!_ " Spoiled's inner monologue continued. " _The fact of the matter is, she's complaining simply because she can't handle the pressure! Besides, knowing Diamond, she's probably already scared out of her wits! By now I'm sure she's realized just how foolish she was to run away from all the luxuries that rich ponies can afford._ "

Much to Spoiled's surprise, the other part of her mind (which she'd been trying to no avail to silence) had another comeback. " _You're skating on thin ice with your daughter as it is, this could be your only chance to redeem yourself in her eyes. Do you really want to go through the rest of your life, having your daughter hate you?_ "

"Let's say you're right, and I actually give a flying feather," Spoiled said out loud, looking at herself in a mirror and not caring who saw her talking to herself. "What am I supposed to do?! Go underground, and get imprisoned by those filthy mongrels as well? Is my daughter worth all this trouble?!"

Spoiled blinked and rubbed her eyes as her reflection told her. "You know the answer to that. The question isn't 'What am I supposed to do?!', it's ' _Why_ do I want to do it?!', and you also know the answer to _that_. You know your true feelings about your daughter, as much as you may try to suppress them. So what are you waiting for?! You know what you need to do, and you know _why_ you must do it! Think of this as a chance to do what your mother never did, prove that you're not completely evil and beyond all hope. This could be your last chance."

With an exaggerated sigh, Spoiled turned away from the mirror, and with her mind made up she proceeded to gallop out of the Tiara family mansion, towards where Diamond was most likely being held captive. All the while, she was thinking to herself. " _Since when did_ _ **I**_ _grow a moral compass? Perhaps I ought to see the doctor later._ "

* * *

"Okay, is everyone ready?" Twilight asked her friends, as they stood over the hole that Diamond Tiara had recently been dragged down.

" _Ready_! Those dogs are gonna be hot dogs by the time I've finished with them!" Spike punned, sharpening his tiny claws and making sure that his flame breath was at the highest possible setting.

"Starlight?" Twilight asked, wondering if her protege was as prepared as her number one assistant and first friend.

"I'm ready too," Starlight stated, trying her best to hide how nervous she felt. "You're _sure_ these diamond dogs aren't too much of a threat, right?"

"I know you're worried, Starlight, but of course I'm sure, especially with your magical capabilities. Even if you do run into trouble, I'll be by your side the whole time," Twilight reassured her student. "What about you, Rarity?"

"You didn't even have to ask me dear , I'll make sure those despicable creatures learn their lesson this time around!" Rarity declared, preparing herself to put on a performance for the dogs that would make her previous show seem tame by comparison.

"Alright then, let's go!" Twilight addressed her party. "Remember, we're just here to rescue Diamond Tiara. This isn't about revenge."

Just before the group of friends could begin their descent in the pits of the earth, Spoiled Rich galloped into the scene, and called out. "Not so fast, ponies! This one's personal!"

After recovering from the shock of Spoiled's sudden appearance, Rarity was the first to speak out. "Mrs. Rich, if you've come to yank my ear off about letting your daughter stay with me, I don't need to hear it right now. We have more important matters to attend to, as I'm sure you understand." she protested.

"I'm not here to argue with you, Miss. Rarity, or with anypony else for that matter," Spoiled reassured those present. "All I ask is that you stand aside and leave this to me! Diamond Tiara is my daughter, and therefore she is _my_ responsibility."

"Mrs. Rich, it's very noble of you to want to rescue your daughter alone, but I wouldn't recommend it. It can be dangerous to go down there by yourself as a solitary earth pony, you should leave this to my friends and I." Twilight insisted.

"No, Princess Twilight, I'm afraid I can't ask you to do that," Spoiled said with a shake of the head. "I'm going to rescue my daughter right now, whether you want me to or not."

"But Mrs. Rich, it's far too dangerous! I won't allow it!" Twilight pleaded, tempted to put her royal credentials to good use.

Rarity then took Twilight aside to make a recommendation. "Darling, I think it's best if we leave Mrs. Rich to it. Something tells me she's quite serious about this."

"Besides, we can still stick around in case our help is needed," Spike agreed. "I say let her try. I'm sure she knows what she's getting into."

Twilight sighed at the growing consensus around her. "Oh, very well," she finally caved in, before telling Spoiled. "You've got ten minutes. If you're not back by then, we're coming in after you, is that clear?"

"Of course it is, ten minutes should be more than enough time to teach those dirty dogs what happens if they mess with the Riches!," Spoiled replied, as she jumped down the hole. The last thing that could be heard from her, before she disappeared from sight was "Hold on, Diamond Tiara! Mother's coming!"

"Do you think we made the right choice?" Starlight pondered out loud.

"I sure hope so, for both their sakes." Twilight replied, feeling just as nervous as every other pony around her.

"She doesn't strike me as an action oriented pony," Starlight said nervously. "I sure hope she knows what she's doing."

* * *

Tiara was feeling very miserable, as she reluctantly dug for gems in the places the diamond dogs instructed. " _What a day this is turning out to be,_ " she thought to herself. " _I should've listened to Sweetie Belle._ "

"Quit slacking, pony!" the black dog barked at their new prisoner. "Keep digging!"

"Pony will be free to go, once pony digs up all the gems for us." the blue fur dog added, with an evil smirk.

"Assuming we feel pony is working hard enough." the pale yellow fur dog chimed in, watching Diamond to make sure she didn't have a moment's rest.

The pink filly just kept on digging, all the while keeping her head down low. She was too unhappy to bring herself to look the diamond dogs in the eye, even though she knew she had no one but herself to blame for her current predicament. " _I wonder how long I shall have to stay down here, until all the gems are uncovered?_ " she thought sadly to herself. " _Probably for the rest of my childhood, maybe even longer. Oh well, at least with my name, I should be able to blend in quite well with these dogs._ "

Just then though, in the distance there came the sound of a skirmish! Someone or something was forcing its way past the diamond dogs, no doubt trying to reach a particular destination!

At first, Diamond didn't think much of the disturbance. " _It's probably just a cave collapse or something, these dogs don't seem very good at building viable support structures,_ " she unhappily thought. _Perhaps if I'm lucky, one of these mini earthquakes will get me before they work me to death_.

However, the sound's source did not fade as either Diamond or the diamond dogs had assumed it would. In fact, as the seconds passed, the noise seemed to grow louder. " _Could somepony actually be brave or foolish enough to try and rescue me on their own?_ " Tiara thought to herself. Perhaps it was Sweetie Belle, or one of her fellow crusaders? Or maybe it was Rarity, or one of her many friends? Maybe it was all of them!

As if to answer the filly's question, a cry of "Let my daughter go!" echoed throughout the caverns and reached Tiara's pricked up ears. When she realized who that voice belonged to however, her heart sank to the pit of her stomach. " _Mother's come to rescue me, solely so she can yell at me for running away. Wow, I really can't escape her anywhere, can I?_ " she assumed, though at least it was better than being stuck down in these dark and dreary caves

Sure enough, a few seconds later, who should emerge from the shadows but Spoiled Rich? Her dress was torn to shreds, and her face and hooves were covered with dirt and bruise marks, but there was no mistaking that rather pronounced snout. Oddly enough, she didn't care that she looked like she'd been dragged to Tartarus and back, her only concern seemed to be for her captured offspring.

"What?!" the black dog exclaimed. "How did pony get past all other dogs?!"

"Simple, with my bare hooves, a little bit of leg work, and a mother's love," Spoiled boasted. "Now, release my daughter at once! Or, feel the wrath of a mare who's been really ticked off!"

"Never! We take no orders from ponies!" the blue dog responded.

. "We make stubborn pony our personal slave! She look like she be good at sniffing out gems" the pale yellow fur dog barked.

"Oh, I'm ever so scared. Shall I get you all flea collars? They're two for one at the moment at Barnyard Bargains." Spoiled said with practiced sarcasm.

"Pony will be frightened in a second! Get her, and cover her mouth! That seem like deadly weapon!" the black fur dog shouted, and all three of the dogs lunged at Spoiled.

"Mother, watch out! The blue one has terrible body odor!" Tiara exclaimed, shocked that such a thing had slipped out of her mouth. " _I never thought I'd be rooting for my mother in anything, let alone a fight._ " she thought. _Though I hope her will is up to date. No, that's a terrible thing to say, even considering what she's like."_

The diamond dogs soon discovered that they were no match for a committed mother. Despite the odds being three-to-one in their favor, Spoiled easily evaded all of their attacks, and in a matter of seconds she delivered knock out kicks to all three of them! Flawless victory indeed.

" _That_ , Diamond Tiara, is why self defenses classes are worth the money spent on them," Spoiled declared, as she stood triumphant over her foes, giving the black dog a hoof in the face for good measure. "Perhaps, I should have you take those lessons, in addition to those of ballet and piano."

"Mother, you…. _saved_ me?" Diamond realized, carefully trotting over to the heroine of the hour.

"I sure did, those dogs won't be getting up anytime soon." Spoiled said with the delivery of an action star.

"But, why?" the pink coated filly asked, unused to this kind of behaviour from the often distant mare that was her mother.

"Because, Diamond Tiara, you are _my_ daughter and if anypony is going to ground you and put you to hard work, it's going to be me," Spoiled replied. "Can you walk?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure I can. As soon as I remove this rope, good thing I taught myself knot tying." Tiara revealed to her mother, unintentionally confessing how she'd been able to escape from her bedroom with just a blanket.

"Then let's get out of these caves and back to civilized life," Spoiled insisted. "Follow me and stay close, I don't want you getting lost in these catacombs. It would take Randolph a millennia to find you again." And so mother and daughter made their way out of the caves as fast as they could. A most jubilant celebration greeted them upon their return to the surface!

"Oh thank goodness you're both alright," Twilight said, breathing a sigh of relief. "You really had me worried there for a while."

"I would be more than happy to repair your shirt for you, Mrs. Rich," Rarity insisted, once she saw the torn up garment hanging by a thread. "Name your price, I can take out a loan from the bank if I have to. Sweetie can empty her piggy bank!"

"That won't be necessary, I have my own tailor back at the mansion," Spoiled replied, a little boastfully. "But I _do_ want to pay you for looking after my daughter for the night. That was due to my uncompromising attitude, after all."

"Nonsense darling, you don't owe me a thing. I'm just glad I could help," Rarity smiled, before she adopted a more serious expression. "I must say, you're certainly a lot…. 'different' from how Diamond Tiara and my own sister described you. A new brand of perfume, perhaps?"

"Let's just say I've had something of a change of heart of late, thanks to some inner voices," Spoiled explained. "Now, if you don't mind, I shall gladly be taking my daughter back. Come along, Diamond Tiara."

"Yes, mother." The pink filly trotted alongside the mare, and as the two reunited family members faded into the distance, a worrying thought crossed Twilight's mind. "' _Inner voices?' Is that something we should be concerned about? I should put Doctor Horse on standby, just in case._ "

* * *

"I still don't get it," Diamond said to her mother, as they walked into town together. "You could've just left me there, completely at the mercy of the diamond dogs. Why did you come to my rescue?"

"Regardless of the 'disagreements' we've had as of lately, I realized that I couldn't just leave you to suffer," Spoiled explained, realizing it was going to take a lot to convince her daughter she truly had changed. "I want to apologize for placing so much pressure on you to act as I do. You still need to be aware of your social standing, and what others are going to expect of you, but you're only young once."

"Thank you, Mother," Tiara replied, before daring to inquire. "Does this mean I'm not in trouble for running away last night?"

"Absolutely not, you're still very much in trouble for that, young mare!" Spoiled said seriously. "I _was_ going to ground you for an entire month for such an outrageous act of rebellion, but I think the rest of the week should suffice. As long as you comply, Filthy doesn't have to know about any of this."

"You mean, he _doesn't_ know I ran off?" Tiara was somewhat surprised that word hadn't got through to her father yet.

"Oh, I'm sure he'll have his own special way of finding out eventually. For now though, this whole diamond dog fiasco will be our little secret, okay?" Spoiled told her daughter, winking ever so slightly.

"Wow, our first secret together." the pink filly giggled, winking back. The thought of keeping a secret from her father made her far more excited than she thought possible. At least this was a secret she felt she could keep forever.

Just then, Spoiled and Diamond passed by the spa, and a passing fancy struck Spoiled. "Say, Diamond, have I ever brought you with me on one of my spa dates?" she asked her daughter.

"No. Why do you ask?" Tiara wasn't sure where this was going.

"Because I think, after all we've been through, we could both use some pampering to help us unwind," Spoiled explained. "How does that sound to you?"

"Really?! You're not just pulling my hoof?!" Tiara asked, to which her mother nodded eagerly. "That sounds lovely! I've always wanted to visit this place and see what it's like!"

"Then I'll tell Aloe to prepare some of her finest treatments, just for the two of us. I hope they get my name right this time. The second part starts with an 'R'." Spoiled continued to talk, as she led her daughter over the threshold, while the door gently opened to the jingle of the bell.


End file.
